Community Outreach Night 

Franklin Township Police Department is sponsoring a Community Outreach Night on January 13^th from 6-8pm.  The informational evening will be held at Community Baptist Church, 211 DeMott Lane, Somerset.  This event will provide information to attendees on how to obtain resources to combat food insecurity, drug use, and children attending school while homeless.

View below to learn more about the program’s participants and to register please visit https://franklintwp.seamlessdocs.com/f/CommunityOutreachRegistration.  There is no cost to attend, and all are encouraged to come learn about free services provided to those in need.

"The Operation Helping Hand (OHH) Initiative is a program where law enforcement plays an integral part in identifying individuals with substance use disorders and together with community partners serves as a point of entry into treatment and/or recovery support services.  By conducting door-to-door outreach or by deploying the NEW mobile van, Somerset County’s OHH’s goal during each encounter is to have law enforcement, accompanied by recovery support specialists, engage residents in need by providing on-the-spot referrals to treatment and other resources.  

In Somerset County, the success of our OHH initiative would not be possible if not for the hard work and dedication of its community partners, especially the working professionals of Somerset County Department of Human Services, R4R Program (Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center), Somerset Treatment Services,  EmPoWER Somerset / Pioneer Family Success Center and Community in Crisis.

Former Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal developed OHH as a new way to combat opioid addiction in Bergen County while serving as the County Prosecutor in 2016. Under his leadership as Attorney General, the first multi-county OHH initiative was launched in five counties in June 2018. Through the use of federal and state funding, the OHH program was expanded to 17 counties in September 2018, and to all 21 counties in the state in September 2019."  Operation Helping Hand | Somerset County

Mission: "ICNA Relief USA seeks to alleviate human suffering by providing caring and compassionate service to victims of adversities and survivors of disasters. ICNA Relief USA strives to build healthy communities, strengthen families and create opportunities for those in despair while maintaining their dignity. Volunteers from across the country help us accomplish our mission every day. We are a Muslim organization and feel it is our religious responsibility to support those in need in our country regardless of their race, religion or other identifying features." https://icnarelief.org/
Goals:

• To assist and empower underprivileged Americans through sustainable social service programs
• To strengthen the family system through education and value based family services
• To foster effective partnership and coordination with Islamic Centers, faith-based organizations, civic and governmental agencies.

Values: Sincerity, Sacrifice, Service

"The Franklin Food Bank is here to help residents of Franklin Township who need food. If you are struggling with funds and debating whether to pay the utility bill or go to the grocery store for your family – STOP debating. Pick up the phone and call the Franklin Food Bank. We run a program called Client Choice. In the program you will be able to access a wide variety of foods - fresh, dry and cold!!! Every Franklin resident is entitled to up to two visits per month to the client choice market. To access services, please call 732-246-0009. Leave a message with your Name and Number and someone will get back to you to schedule an appointment. https://franklinfoodbank.org/

New Jersey McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program

"The Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth (McKinney-Vento EHCY) program provides homeless students with protections and services to ensure they enroll in and attend school; complete their high school education and be positioned for success after graduation, so they may avoid poverty and homelessness as adults.  Of the over 1.3 million children and youth experiencing homelessness in the United States, more than 10,900 homeless children and youth were identified in the state of New Jersey during the 2016-17 school year.

The McKinney-Vento EHCY program ensures homeless children and youth have equal access to a free, appropriate public education and are able to enroll in and attend school. The program funds supplemental academic support services for homeless children and youth to ensure their school success.

The New Jersey Department of Education has established a grant program that focuses on providing instructional services that are supplemental to the regular school program.  It also focuses on referral services to appropriate community-based organizations with the goal of enabling all homeless children and youth to meet challenging state academic and student performance standards." https://www.nj.gov/education/homeless/

Thank you to the The Community Baptist Church for hosting this event.